NQ Best Beef Carcase Competition Showcases Quality Australian Cattle

Australia’s most northerly beef carcase competition, held on Saturday, reaffirmed the significant role of North Queensland grassfed cattle in the quality domestic table beef market.

The Rocky Creek abattoir, owned by the Byrnes family, hosted the annual NQ Best Beef carcase competition, featuring 105 entries across three categories: pasture-fed and unrestricted feeding classes. This year’s entries largely originated from the Atherton Tableland and surrounding larger grazing regions, predominantly without hormone growth promotants (HGP).

The competition, which began in 2002, aims to highlight the high-quality cattle produced in the region while celebrating local producers and butcher wholesale customers from Cairns to Townsville.

Described as Far North Queensland’s “patch of King Island,” the fertile, high-rainfall Atherton Tableland can provide quality grassfed young beef almost year-round, following a transformation from a prominent dairy production area to beef.

This year, entries predominantly featured cattle with 25% to 75% indicus genetics, a shift towards softer cattle types becoming apparent. The breeds represented included stabilised composites of Brangus, Ultrablacks, and Droughtmasters as well as crossbreds with Euro, tropical hybrid, or Bos Taurus genetics. Most cattle were milk or two-tooth at slaughter age, typically between 20-24 months.

The awards night entertained 160 guests in a beautifully restored WWII heritage-listed Nissen Hut near Mareeba. MSA research grader Matt Scott shared the exceptional average MSA Eating Quality Index score of the entries, which was comparable to the grading results for grassfed Queensland cattle recorded in October.

Despite the challenging conditions caused by severe weather cycles and the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper, which brought significant rainfall from late 2023 to early 2024, this year’s competition cattle performed admirably. Although some grading results reflected these tough beginnings, many entries still displayed excellent quality.

Calen Byrnes with Deana Nasser, representing the exhibitors of the champion pen of carcases from the 2025 North Qld Best Beef carcase competition.

Champion Pen of Three Carcases

The overall champion Pen of Three carcases this year consisted of Brangus cross heifers from Terry Tranter and Nick Reynolds’ Red Bend Farming Co based in Innot Hot Springs. These heifers showcased excellent pasture grazing with weights ranging from 242 to 259 kg, winning the light pasture-fed class.

In the heavier grassfed category, Tony and Ivanka McDonald excelled with their Droughtmaster steers, while Nathan and Alison Hughes of Dirran Creek Farming secured top spots in the unrestricted feeding class.

Class 2 winners featuring Droughtmaster steers, showcased by Tony and Ivanka McDonald, photographed with host Calen Byrnes.

Competition Highlights

The competition produced noteworthy winners, including Nathan and Alison Hughes’s Brangus steers which recorded the highest individual MSA index score of 62.15. The overall champion carcase—an impressive Brangus heifer—achieved a score of 85.95 out of 100.

Nathan and Alison Hughes exhibited top-scoring Brangus steers in the unrestricted feeding category.

Panel Discussion

Featured prior to the awards dinner, an industry panel session included representation from Teys Australia and Rabobank. Key insights from this session will be shared in an upcoming article.

Panel session members discussing industry insights at the awards dinner.

The NQ Best Beef carcase competition continues to highlight the commitment of local producers to quality and sustainability in beef production, reflecting the high standards of grassfed cattle in Australia.